


Decking the Halls

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Reader Prompts JL [17]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Ficlet, First Kiss, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28195464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: Lily Evans is trying to study for an exam, when James Potter decides the time has come to save Lily's brains from herself and declares the time has come to decorate the Head dormitory for Christmas.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Series: Reader Prompts JL [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/881871
Comments: 5
Kudos: 38





	Decking the Halls

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Solstilla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Solstilla/gifts).



Lily was huddled up in the corner of the small sofa, a quill tucked behind her ear.

She was absently rubbing at her temple while she frowned at the heavy textbook propped up against her thighs in her lap. She must have been re-reading the same passage for the hundredth time, and the words on the page were starting to blur and lose all meaning.

That was when a paper bag dropped into her lap, blocking her view of the textbook.

Lily’s head snapped up and she glared at Potter.

“Oi! I’m trying to study here.”

“Which is precisely I’m interrupting,” James replied. “You’re welcome.”

“I have an exam tomorrow!”

“Which you will fail if your brain implodes on you. Which is due to happen any minute now, because you’ve been at this for hours, Evans. You need a break.”

The sting of truth in his words took drained Lily’s anger.

She puffed her cheeks and sighed.

“Yeah, I guess I do.”

“I have just the thing to take your mind off the exam for a little bit, come on.”

“Really? And what’s that?” Lily asked, setting aside the textbook.

“Look into the bag.”

Lily did so and was almost blinded by the sheer amount of tinsel stuffed inside.

“What?”

“Christmas decorations, Evans! We should bring some holiday cheer into the Head dorms, don’t you think?”

Lily couldn’t stop the incredulous giggle.

“James, it’s mid-November.”

“Exactly! We’re overdue.” He winked.

Lily laughed again and got up from the sofa. 

When James got something into his head, there was no resisting him.

“You start with the tinsel, I’ll get the rest.”

“There’s more?”

“Oh, Evans. Of course, there’s more.”

There ended up being whole boxes worth of decorations. Red floating candles, baubles, garlands, ribbons, snow globes, glowing silver stars, wreaths, glimmering snowflake ornaments… 

Lily couldn’t help but wonder where James had got it all.

And then James walked in lugging an actual Christmas tree and Lily’s jaw dropped.

“What?”

James set it down carefully and shrugged.

“Had to have one, didn’t we?”

“But… how?? And from where?”

“I know a guy,” was all James would say on the subject. 

Then they both rolled their sleeves and got to work. 

They laughed, and occasionally draped tinsel over one another. 

They were sure to wave their wands with extra flourishes as they levitated the decorations here and there. 

They bickered which ornament should go where and spent five whole minutes yanking a particular wreath around until they compromised and hung it in the window.

Lily insisted that they decorate the tree by hand, not by magic and James readily agreed. 

They kept grinning at one another. Lily hung a red bauble on James’ ear and he draped a tinsel garland around Lily like a muffler. 

When they were all done, the whole room looked more like a Christmas ornament store than their Head dormitory common room.

And Lily loved all of it.

She turned to tell James just that, when something caught her eye.

“Hey, there’s still something in the box,” she said, bending down to pick up the ornament. 

Lily raised her eyebrow, as she dangled the mistletoe for James to see.

“Ahh, that.” James laughed nervously. “We don’t really need to put that one up, do we?” 

His cheeks had grown suspiciously pink and he quickly snatched the mistletoe out of her hand and stuffed it into the pocket of his robes.

Lily tilted her head and gave James a considering glance.

So easily, he’d made her forget all about her frustration, studying and the exam. He’d lifted her mood up so swiftly, made her laugh, and made this holiday wonderland they were currently standing in possible and she still had no idea _how_ he had managed all that.

Lily didn’t pause to question the impulse, she simply followed it.

James froze as her arms wound around his neck. 

“Uh, Lily? I–” he managed to stammer, before Lily silenced him.

The kiss was brief and soft and laced with the gratitude and happiness Lily was feeling.

And when she pulled away, James Potter was definitely blushing.

“Um,” he said, running a hand through his hair. 

He looked perplexed and pleased, and the shy little smile curling his lips was making Lily want to kiss him again.

“Put up the mistletoe, Potter,” she told him, grinning. “I feel we might be needing it.”


End file.
